benoni colvin



(ModeL) B. OOLVIN.

SPRING HINGE. V No. 395,266. q Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEnONrCOLVIN, or FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO Tun rnnnron'r HARDWARE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or SAME PLACE.-

- SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,266, dated December 25, 1888.

Application filed April 12, 1888. Serial No. 270,391. (Model) To all whom; it may concern:

BENONI Convm, a resi- Be it known that'l, dent of Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Ilingcs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same;

- My invention relates to improvements in spring-hinges of that class in which. the spring is mounted in a frame independent of the leaves of the hinge, the frame being so connected with the leaves that the force of the spring reverses when the hinge is at its deadpoint and throws the leaves in either direction from said dead-point with equal facility.

The invention is fully described and explained in' this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of the leaves and the spring-carrying frame in operative connection, the spring being omitted. Fig. 2 is a transverse central'section of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the plane of section being through the line X X, Fig. 1. .Fig. 3 is a plan of the spring-carrying frame and the spring in operative position therein.

In the views, A A are two leaves of suitable form, each provided with two ears, a a, the ear 0/ of each leaf being placed just within the car a of the other leaf, and the contiguous ears being connected by short pintles to form two knuckles lying at the opposite ends of the hinge and separated by a considerable this class.

space, in the manner common in hinges of Each of the leaves is provided with two pins, B Bpwhich are formed integrally with the leaf, and may, if desired, be a single continuous rod,and in the space between the knuckles of the hinge lies a springcarrying frame having the same general form and function as the spring-carrying frame shown and described in the Wiles patent, No. 274,161. This frame has two side bars, 0 0, provided with ears 0 a, connected to form knuckles at the ends of the frame. Each of the inner ears, c, is provided on its inner face with a hollow boss, D, adapted to receive the end of a coil, S, and each of the outer cars, c,is provided on its inner face with a short pintle or gudgeon, E, which enters the opening in the boss and forms the pivot of the frame.

Each of the/side bars is also provided on its lower margin with two hooks, F F, which grasp the pins B B, and the spring S is so mounted on-the frame that its force tends to throw the hooks F F together, and thus to draw the pins B B together in all positions of the leaves.

With the exception of certain details of construction of the spring-carrying frame such as the formation of the bosses D on the ears 0 and of the pintles E on the ears c the. frame as thus far described is substantially the same in construction, connect-ion, and operation as that shown and described in the \Viles patent already referred to.

In the hinge shown and described in the WViles patent the spring-carrying frame is connected with the leaves by means of detachable pins or rods, whose removal permits the disconnection of the frame from the leaves. The use of the detachable pins adds considerably to the cost of the hinge in various ways, and when they are replaced by pins formed integrally with the leaves, in the manner shown and described herein, the frame can only be detached from the leaves by separating the hooks, which are formed on the frame and clasp the pins. The principal object of this invention is to provide means whereby this separation of the hooks can be easily and readily accomplished without the use of any tools or implements whatever; and to accomplish this object each of the side bars 0 of the spring-carrying frame is provided with an arm or lever, G, extending outward and preferably upward, and of such length as to afford sufficient leverage for opening the hooks when the spring is in operative position. I have found in practice that in a hinge suited for light doors levers having the length-shown in the drawings are suificient for overcoming the force of the spring and separating the hooks, so as to permit their deis evident that these levers may be made of any desired length, provided they do not project so far as to he unsightly in appearance.

The construction shown is simple and inexpensive, and at the same time is thoroughly practical in operation. By its use the springcarrying frame is rendered readily detachable from the leaves, and the sprung may thus be instantly removed, either for the purpose of separating the leaves and removing'the door, or when it is desired to use the hinge without the spring, as is sometimes the case.

Having now described and explained my in vention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In a hinge of the class described, the

- combination, with two leaves of suitable form with the leaves, the two parts of said frame being provided with levers, by means of which the two parts of the frame may be rotated about their pivotal line with reference to each other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

:3. The combination, with the leaves A A, having ears on, connected to form knuckles, of the sidebars, O 0, provided with ears '0 c and with hooks F, engaging pins l on the leaves, and the spring S, mounted in said frame and tending to draw the hooks F together, the side bars being: provided with levers G, by means of which the hooks F 1 may be separated and released from the pins ll 13, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, BENONI COLVIN.

Witnesses:

JEWEL GOULD, D. 1;. BREED. 

